How to Try The Colorful Hair Trend at Home

Seen on the runway and celebrities alike, bold-hued hair is making a bright statement.

At the Chanel Resort 2013 show, Karl Lagerfeld and hairstylist Sam McKnight took the season's hottest hair trend—pretty pastels—into courtly territory as models in candy-colored wigs (above) paraded through the gardens of Versailles. "We dyed the wigs using diluted color solutions to create those soft tones," reveals McKnight, the mastermind behind Lady Gaga's wild coifs in her "Born This Way" music video. "She really opened the door for crazy hair color!" he adds.

Indeed, music megastars Gaga, Nicki Minaj, and Katy Perry have been sporting fearless, ultrabright manes for years, but the emergence of subtler, more wearable looks— like the ombré effect and washed-out tones—means bold color is no longer for just larger-than-life celebrities.

And it doesn't necessarily have to look DIY or punky. "Unexpected hues can also look pretty and refined," says celebrity colorist Aura Friedman, who predicts cool violet and burgundy to be huge for fall. "It's all about the placement and intensity of the color." Her favorite technique is to subtly shift the tone throughout the length of the hair. "Say you're doing a superbold blue; keep it dark navy at the roots and bring it down to a light turquoise on the ends. Variation makes it look more natural instead of wiggy," she notes.

To achieve a true pastel shade, bleaching hair first is required—even for most blondes, points out Roxie Darling of Cutler Salon in New York City. "If you put the pale color over your natural hair, you'll maybe see just a sheen of it," she says. Not ready to make a permanent change? "Get color temporarily with extensions," recommends McKnight. Adds Friedman, "Clip-in pieces are amazing! It's like putting on earrings—you can change them every day."

Nineteen-year-old model (and new Maybelline New York face) Charlotte Free—whose signature is her cotton-candy-pink ombré locks—says taking baby steps is the best way to find your perfect hue. "The first time I dyed my hair, I started with some pieces and tried so many different colors—I just wanted to have fun with it," she explains. "Pink seemed to suit me, and now it's here to stay!"